The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-10-13


passed ont OF the kitchea door. leaving bi
father speeehless With smszement as thi
rebcllions ultersuce. aud his mother. -
poor weak woman. constantly in miser
between carrying ouiihe severe rule Of be
husband whom she feared, aud yielding 4
her tenderness for her boy. whom she Low
ed xipins her tears without emitting an,
sound. either word or sob. As for his tw'
sisters, they sat demurs and motionles
through the whole scene, .. heart rsthc
pleased With Il. as they bad no symps,h,
with their brothers taste for forbidden
arts. aud thought him queer. nncomiort
able member Of the household Morrow.
er. though younger than be-, they were no
too young to see at oucs. the peculiar ad
vantage 10 them Of his renuncis,iou Of hi'
share Of the estate. lrI ss
Richard went toward Barn aud tool
; scat 10 nook Of The corn fodder siacl
hat WAS built along the side Of the barr
yard. He did not feel the cold. the raw
air Of the early morning He was too full
Of the step he was about to take. aud what
had led him up To it, Now or never ht
must quit tue farm. renounce the teaching
Of the society, throw aside the coat with
standing collar and tho quaint broad
brimmed bat. give up the plain language,
reject the counsel OF the venerable fathers
OF the meeting, who would surely be APP
pointed to visit him, and prove recreant
to the reverend precepis Of Fox and Bar
clay. All this was mesnt by pursuit OF
his strong bias for art.
Why was be born with il? Whence
came ii These questions he often asked
himself. For six generations his ancestors
had never touched brush nor palette;
not a painting nor statue, not musical
instrument nor any drama nor work OF
fiction had been allowed in their houses
How had be bsen created for passion for
color and form, with love OF poetry and
music, which neither the dresry farm work
nor the colorless life, nor all the frigid,
deadening discipline Of the society could
quench2
Go back to his earliest memory be could
recall, that, when he was four years old he
WAS left for few hours at the house OF
Mike Willis an Irish tenant on neighbor-
ing farm, and that Mikes wife had kept
him in the utmost bliss by showing him
colored print Of "The Virgin aud the In
FAINT, and telling him the story as it had
pictured itself in her warm Irish heart.
But what was the horror OF his parents,
next day, when he toddled into the room
when they were at dinner and called
"Mudder, mudder, come and see God. "
His parents ran to the door to see what
this strange appeal meant, and 10! there
on the floor OF the front porch, chalked in
rude but faithful outlines, we're the child
with rays Of glory around bis head, and
the mother by his side holding q cross.
He could recall the scowl that came ever
his fathers face, aud his mothers impet-
uous rush for bucket OF water and
scrubbpg BRUSH Nor had he forgotten
the violent shake aud immediate spanking
he received for his artistic endeavor.
His memory leaped till be was boy OF
ten, and to his intense delight at eflecting
q trade of Barlow knife for box OF
paints. Many an hour Of JOY had they
given him. hiding himself in the CARROT of
the old house, in the back part OF the hay
NOW, near the dusty gable window, or in
q little hut lie had built in the woods.
But his prying little sister betrayed bim
one day, and not only was his treasure
confscated. but he himself was tied to the
bedpost by his mother and given such
whipping as would have discouraged most
youthful artists.
Later ia life, when he was too old for
such vigorous measures, many lectures
he had received on the friyolity Of such
tastes, and the wickedness OF ministering
to them.
These scenes passing through his mem
ory convinced him that il was vain to bat
tie with such iLfeXible rules, and that to
be free he must leave the farm and all its
associations.
There was one which bad really held
him. That WAS iibbills Vernon. The
daughter Of rigid parents. her mother
even public friend" whose voice at
monthly and quarterly meetings was fam
iliar 10 all members OF the society. Sib
billa was not 40 unusual type OF the
advanced thought OF her sex. Calm, self
possessed, clear headed, she had announc-
ed when but fifteen to her family that her
own conscience was her guide, aud that 10
ell essential matters she should follow it.
From childhood she and Richard Harris
had delighted to play and talk together;
aud though no word OF love. no kiss and
no csress had ever passed between them,
both their families and themselves consid-
cred uoion between them only . matter
OF time and money. Nor did the absence
Of the usual passage OF lore seem astrange
circumstance. They we're accustomed TO
repress all outward show Of feeling. In
neither household had the children ever
seen kiss exchanged among It's members,
young or old.
Though devoid Of any passion for art
herself. Sibbills understood aud respected
the forbidden tastes Of her lover. She
looked upon his peculiar abilities as q gift
Of God for use in life. aud she quietly but
firmly put aside the traditions Of her sect,
which condemned them Unfortunately.
wilt thou presume TO deny the many
testimonies OF Friends both in America
and Englspd sgsinst these sinful artsg'
her mother would ask; being public